Tornado outbreak confirmed across North Texas
Sunday, May 18, brought severe weather to North Texas, with the National Weather Service (NWS) confirming seven tornadoes across several counties. The outbreak included a range of intensities, most notably an EF-1 tornado in Gordon, Palo Pinto County, with peak winds reaching 105 mph (169 km/h). A second EF-1 tornado was recorded in Mingus, located nearby.
The NWS also confirmed four EF-0 tornadoes, considered weaker but still potentially damaging. These occurred near Morton Valley in Eastland County, in Santo, just south of Santo, and in Parker County. An EF-U tornado — where the intensity is unknown due to a lack of observable damage — was also detected southeast of Santo.
Palo Pinto County suffers extensive damage
The most devastated areas were found in Palo Pinto County, approximately 65 miles west of Fort Worth. Here, the tornado activity left a clear trail of destruction. Gordon ISD and Santo ISD both announced school closures on Monday, with Gordon ISD opting to remain closed all week due to storm-related destruction.
Emergency Management officials report that 36 buildings were damaged in Gordon, including five major losses and one total destruction. Debris is scattered across the football field and track, with light poles downed and buildings wrecked.
Power outages and response efforts
More than 1,200 customers in the affected area are experiencing power outages. Crews are actively working to restore electricity as of Monday afternoon. Residents are urged to avoid affected areas while cleanup and restoration operations continue. Gordon ISD has also asked students and staff to stay away from campus for their safety.
Storms reach the Dallas–Fort Worth area
While Palo Pinto County took the brunt, storm reports also came in from northern suburbs of Dallas and Fort Worth. In Flower Mound, a downed power line ignited a backyard fire, as reported by resident Marian Orchard. Other viewers captured funnel clouds in Santo, although these did not appear to touch down.
Hail and severe thunderstorm activity
Severe thunderstorms delivered baseball-sized hail in some parts of North Texas, adding to the hazards of the day. Tornado warnings and severe thunderstorm alerts were issued across the region Sunday evening as the weather system moved through.
Severe weather activity is expected to remain a risk during the spring months in Texas, particularly in areas like North Texas, where instability and warm, moist air masses frequently interact to produce violent storms.
